Herniated disc prevention is typically centered around reducing stress placed on the spine in order to decrease the pressure placed on the intervertebral discs. This can be something as simple as shedding a couple of pounds or stretching properly before a round of golf, but it can also be more involved, like quitting smoking or correcting your posture. A herniated disc is an all-too-common source of back and neck pain, although with proper prevention techniques, this frustrating condition can be avoided – or at least slowed.
What is a herniated disc?
To better understand how to avoid a herniated disc requires a closer look at what a herniated disc actually is. The flexibility of the spine can be directly traced to small intervertebral pads that exist between the vertebrae in the spine. These spongy discs act like little shock absorbers for the body and bear the brunt of the recoil from daily activity. However, these discs are also prone to deterioration over time – as a result of this regular wear and tear. The discs can become thinned, protruded, or even ruptured (or herniated), which can lead to painful nerve compression if the contents of the disc come into contact with a nerve root or the spinal cord.
Herniated Disc Prevention Options
Herniated disc prevention can be a tough draw because we obviously cannot avoid growing older. A certain measure of wear and tear on the spine is to be expected and there’s not much that can be done to avoid that. However, there are a few things that can be done to reduce the stress placed on the spine and better your chances of avoiding intervertebral disc problems.
- Better your posture
- Quit smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Stretch properly
- Exercise regularly
Treatment Choices
Failing these herniated disc prevention techniques, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn about your herniated disc treatment options. We’re happy to provide you with information on all of our renowned minimally invasive, outpatient endoscopic spine procedures at your request.
